Nikon Announces Winners of 2011 Small World Competition

Alex Wild is Curator of Entomology at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studies the evolutionary history of ants. In 2003 he founded a photography business as an aesthetic complement to his scientific work, and his natural history photographs appear in numerous museums, books and media outlets. Follow on Twitter @myrmecos.

Alex Wild is Curator of Entomology at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studies the evolutionary history of ants. In 2003 he founded a photography business as an aesthetic complement to his scientific work, and his natural history photographs appear in numerous museums, books and media outlets. Follow on Twitter @myrmecos.

1st place winner: Portrait of a green lacewing larva (20X) by the inimitable Igor Siwanowicz

While science journalists’ attention remains focused on the Nobel prizes, another set of awards- rather diminutive in scope- were also released this morning.

Nikon has announced the 2011 winners of its prestigious Small World Photomicrography Competition. The contest, now in its 37th year, received over 2,000 entries. And I must say, the galleries are simply gorgeous. Go visit:

This year’s 1st place was taken by Igor Siwanowicz, whose sublime insect portraiture I’ve admired for years. Siwanowicz’s winning image is a cross section of a lacewing larva. These common insects consume prey by piercing their skin with hollow, needle-like jaws and sucking their juices. It’s a fascinating image.

Even though Small World is the grandaddy of microscopy contests, they’ve remained remarkably current with social media. You can follow @NikonSmallWorld on twitter. And, for those who differ with the judges’ picks, Nikon is also holding a popular vote.

For those of you with something small to share, next year’s deadline is April 30, 2012.

About the Author: Alex Wild is Curator of Entomology at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studies the evolutionary history of ants. In 2003 he founded a photography business as an aesthetic complement to his scientific work, and his natural history photographs appear in numerous museums, books and media outlets. Follow on Twitter @myrmecos.